Kovalainen and Petrov under the charm of Suzuka

After the disappointment of losing the 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship to Marussia in Singapore, Heikki Kovalainen spent some time in the Caterham team’s simulator to prepare for the Japanese Grand Prix, which will take place at the Suzuka circuit, an event that the Finn is excited to return to: « Suzuka is one of the races everyone looks forward to and I am no different. It’s a real circuit, exactly the kind of track where you want to drive an F1 car because it has everything – high-speed corners where you can feel the downforce, medium-speed sections where it’s all about balance, and fans among the most passionate in the world. »

Kovalainen particularly appreciates the first portion of the track that launches the lap and can result in significant losses in case of an error or bad settings: For me, the best part of the circuit is the first sector, from turn 1 to turn 7. You arrive in turns 1 and 2 at high speed and if you are not fully focused, you can lose a lot of time right at the start of the lap. Coming out of turn 2, the track is banked inward and you can really lean into the car to tackle turn 3. From there to turn 7, if the car is well balanced, the whole portion feels smooth. It’s an incredible feeling if you take it well, but if it goes wrong, you lose a lot of time.

Vitaly Petrov is also delighted to return to Japan, particularly for the atmosphere and ambiance created by the Japanese fans: « Japan is one of my favorite places to race. The fans are truly amazing. The stands are full throughout the weekend, even on Thursday when we are not driving, and they are so polite, almost a bit apprehensive about asking for an autograph or a photo, but you can see how much F1 means to them and it’s always nice when they offer us gifts or things they’ve made for us. »

The Russian driver appreciates the Suzuka layout but undermines the reputation of the 130R corner, which he believes is not so impressive for drivers: « From the track’s point of view, Suzuka is obviously a very enjoyable circuit. The first sector is a real challenge in the car and for the engineers, to ensure a well-balanced car. The second sector is quite fast as well, and then you’re into the third sector heading towards the 130R. Many people talk about it as a major corner, and it looks good on TV when you see the cars going flat out, but in the cockpit, it’s not really a challenge. However, you still have to be flat out because there’s the chicane following it which offers an overtaking opportunity, so if you lose time in the 130R, you find yourself under pressure from the cars behind you. »

It should also be noted from the Caterham side that Giedo Van der Garde will replace Heikki Kovalainen during the first free practice session on Friday. After this Japanese event, the Dutch driver, as he told us at Silverstone, will also drive the CT01 in South Korea, India, Abu Dhabi, and Brazil.